Hang rod assembly



March 8, i966 A. D. CLAUSON 3,239,070

HANG ROD ASSEMBLY Original Filed April 16, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR March 8, 1966 CLAUSON 3,239,070

HANG ROD ASSEMBLY Original Filed April 16, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,239,070 HANG ROD ASSEMBLY Arthur D. Clauson, La Grange, 111., assignor to Garey Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Continuation of application Ser. No. 273,438, Apr. 16, 1963. This application Aug. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 392,997 19 Claims. (Cl. 211105.1)

This application is a continuation of my prior copending application Serial No. 273,438, filed April 16, 1963, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to a hang r-od assembly, and is particularly concerned with an adapter for securing a tubular hang rod on a conventional support bracket and a splice bar for extending the length of the hang rod indefinitely in the form of a continuous structure.

The adapter is preferably in the form of a casting adapted to fit on the outer end of a conventional support bracket and adapted to be locked in place by a single set screw. The adapter has a portion extending transversely of the bracket that is engageable with a tubular hang rod to support it. The transverse portion of the adapter has a centrally disposed upstanding wall with a concavely curved surface on each side of said wall. The upper edge of the upstanding wall terminates in a bead having fiat angularly disposed faces extending downwardly and inwardly along the lower edge portionsof the bead.

The tubular hang rod is formed of a strip of metal that is curved into approximately cylindrical shape with its edge portions bent inwardly to provide a longitudinal slot having resilient walls adapted to snap over the bead. The upper edges of the resilient walls are bent outwardly to conform to the configuration of the flat angular surfaces on the lower edge portions of the head. When the hang rod is snapped over the head, the upper edges of the resilient walls fit snugly against the lower edge portions of the bead to hold the hang rod against vertical displacement from the adapter. Each adapter may support a short length of hang rod, or a plurality of adapters may cooperate to support an indefinite length of hang rod.

If the hand rod installation is to be longer than the individual hang rod units, a plurality of hang rod units may be supported in end to end relationship by splice bars. A splice bar is slid part way into the end of one hang rod unit, and the adjacent hang rod unit is then slid on the splice bar until its end abuts the end of the adjacent hang rod unit. The splice bar holds the adjacent hang rod units against vertical displacement relative to each other.

The structure by means of which the above mentioned and other advantages of the invention are attained will be fully described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing various stages of a hang rod installation;

FIG. 2 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the adapter mounted on the end of the bracket, and the hang rod mounted on the adapter;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational View of a hang rod assembly with a portion thereof broken away;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detail perspective view of an adapter;

FIG. 6 is a detail perspective view of a splice bar;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of an assembly comprising two hand rod units held in end to end relationship by a splice bar, with a portion thereof broken away;

and

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

Referring to the drawings, a plurality of conventional support brackets 11 are mounted in pilaster strips 12 secured in upright position to the front surface of a wall or partition 13. The support brackets are of uniform length, and the outer ends of said brackets are in transverse alignment. Preferably the pilaster strips are spaced uniformly along the wall or partition 13 but this spacing may be varied, if desired. Each support bracket comprises a flat metal strip tapered toward its outer end, as indicated at 14, and provided with an aperture 15 near its outer end.

The adapter comprises a casting, preferably aluminum, provided with an elongated bifurcated body portion 16' having two walls :17 and 1S separated by a longitudinal slot 19. The upper edges of walls 17 and 18 are joined by an integral top wall 20. A bar 21, integral with adapter 16 extends transversely across the outer lower ends of walls 17 and 18 to engage the lower outer edge of bracket 11 to prevent pivotal movement of the adapter relative to the support bracket.

A screw 22, in threaded engagement with a tapped aperture 23, is tightened against the support bracket 11 upon the end of which the adapter is positioned. The

aperture 23 is preferably concentric with aperture 15 in bracket 11. Aperture 15 is preferably smaller than aperture 23, and screw 22 has a conical end 24 adapted to enter aperture 15 so that the conical surface of end 24 engages the circumferential edge of bracket 11 defining aperture 15 and is tightened against said edge to prevent relative displacement of the adapter from the support bracket.

Adapter 16 includes an integral hang rod support 25 projecting upwardly from top wall 20 adjacent its outer end and extending transversely of the elongated body pora tion of the adapter. The upper edge of the hang rod support is curved to provide two concave surfaces 26, 27 separated by an upstanding wall 28 having an enlarged head 29 on its upper edge. The lower edge portions of head 29 are shaped to provide two oppositely disposed flat angular surfaces 30, 31 extending from the outer edge portions of the head to the vertical surfaces of wall 28.

The hang rod unit 32 comprises a sheet of steel bent into substantially cylindrical shape with the end portions reversely bent to form two resilient walls 33, 34 that are vertically disposed when the hang rod is mounted on the support portion of the adapter. The intermediate portions 35, 36 of the hang rod extending in opposite directions from the lower edges of walls 33, 34 to the cylindrical portion of the hang rod are curved to conform to the configuration of the surfaces 26 and 27. The outer edge portions 37, 38 of the hang rod extend upwardly and outwardly from the upper edges of walls to provide flat angularly extending surfaces to fit flush against surfaces 30 and 31, respectively.

The normal spacing of vertical walls 33 and 34 is slightly less than the thickness of wall 28. Accordingly, when the hang rod is snapped down over head 29, walls 33, 34 fit snugly against opposite surfaces of wall 28, intermediate portions 35, 36 of the hang rod fit snugly against surfaces 26, 27 respectively, and outer edge portions 27, 38 fit flush against surfaces 30, 31 respectively. The angularity of surfaces 30, 31 and 37, 38 is great enough to prevent accidental vertical displacement of the hang rod relative to the adapted. The hang rod is so located, relative to the support member, that any force applied to the hang rod in a downward direction tightens the frictional engagement between the hang rod and the support member.

The hang rod units were preferably of uniform length, although they may be made in any desirable length.

When the hang rod installation is longer than the length of a single unit, a plurality of hang rod units may be secured in end to end relationship by the interposition of one or more splice bars 39, shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. The splice bar is preferably an aluminum casting having a length approximately equal to the length of the hang rod support 25. The lower portion 40 of the splice bar is curved to provide surfaces 41, 42 shaped to conform the curvature of surfaces 26 and 27 to provide a snug fit for intermediate portions 35, 36 of the hang rod. Surfaces 41 and 42 are separated by an upstanding wall 43. The top of wall 43 terminates in a cross bar portion 44 having shoulders 45, 46 on opposite sides of wall 43. The vertical distance from surfaces 41, 42 to the top of cross bar portion 44 is less than the diameter of the cylindrical portion of hang rod 32.

When two hang rod units are to be secured together in end to end relationship, a splice bar is slid into one of the hand rod units longitudinally for a distance equal to approximately half the length of the splice bar. Surfaces 41, 42 fit against the intermediate portions 35, 36, respectively, of the hang rod unit, and shoulders 45 and 46 edge the upper edges of portions 37, 38, respectively. The sliding fit between splice bar 39 and hang rod unit 32 is snug enough to prevent any vertical play between these members. When the splice bar is positioned in the desired engagement with the hang ro-d unit, a second hang rod unit is engaged in the same manner with the portion of the splice bar projecting from one end of the first hang rod unit, and is then pushed into abutting end to end engagement with the adjustment end of the hang rod unit.

Since no veritcal play is possible between the hang rod units and the splice bar, the only way the hang rod units can be separate-d is by longitudinal sliding movement outwardly. The outermost hang rod sections of each installation are held against outward sliding movement in any suitable manner to prevent accidental separation of any hang rod unit from the installation. The snug fit prevents accidental sliding movement of the splice bar relative to the hang rod unit with respect to the hang rod unit with which itis engaged.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of the invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of construction may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be rescricted to the exact construction described.

I claim:

1. A hang rod assembly comprising a support member and a hang rod, said hang rod comprising a tubular member, and tubular member having a longitudinal split defining two free end portions, said free end portions being reversely bent to form longitudinally extending resilient portions frictionally engaging opposite surfaces of said support member with sufiicient friction .to hold said hang rod against accidental displacement relative to said support member.

2. A hang rod assembly comprising an adapter and a substantially tubular hang rod, said adapter comprising a body portion and a support member extending transversely of said body portion, said support member com prising a wall extending upwardly relative to said body portion, said hang rod having a longitudinal split defining two free end portions, said free end portions being reversely bent to from spaced resilient longitudinal end portions frictionally engaging said wall.

3. A hang rod assembly comprising a support member and a substantially tubular hang rod, said hang rod having a longitudinal split defining two free end portions, said free end portions being reversely bent to form spaced, longitudinal edge portions frictionally engaging said support member and means integral with said support member engaging said longitudinal .end portions to prevent accidental movement of said hang rod relative to said support member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said hang rod and parallel to the planes of said reversely bent end portions.

4. A hang rod assembly comprising a plurality of laterally spaced support members, a plurality of substantially tubular hang rods each having reversely bent, spaced longitudinal end portions frictionally engaging a support member within the confines of said hang rod, said hang rods being mounted on said support members in end to end relationship, and splice bars extending within said hang rods and traversing each joint between adjoining hang rods to hold said hang rods in axial alignment, thereby providing a smooth continuous outer surface on said hang rods for slidably supporting a plurality of clothes hangers along the entire length of said assembly.

5. In a hang rod assembly, an adapter comprising a body portion and a support member integral with said body portion, said support member extending transversely of said body portion, said support member comprising a wall extending upwardly relative to said body portion, an enlargement on the upper edge portion of said wall, and a slotted hang rod having reversely bent spaced, resilient portions frictionally engaging said wall, at least one of said resilient portions being mechanically interengaged with said enlargement to prevent accidental separation of said hang rod from said support member by relative movement between said hang rod and said support member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said enlargement and parallel to the plane of said wall.

6. A hang rod assembly comprising a support bracket, an adapter secured to the outer end portion of said support bracket said adapter comprising a body portion and a transversely extending hang rod support member at the outer end thereof, said support member comprising a longitudinal wall having an enlargement on its outer end portion, and a slotted hang rod having spaced, resilient portions in frictional engagement with opposite surfaces of said wall, said enlargement being adapted to engage at least one of said resilient portions of said hang rod to prevent accidental separation of said hang rod from said support member by relative movement between said hang rod and said support member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said enlargement and parallel to the plane of said wall.

7. In a hang rod assembly, an adapter comprising a body portion and 'a support member extending transversely of said body portion, means for securing said body portion to a support bracket, said support member comprising a wall extending outwardly relative to said body portion, and a substantially tubular hang rod having a slot extending throughout the length of said hang rod, the longitudinal end portions of said hang rod contiguous to said slot terminating in reversely bent resilient portions frictionally engaging opposite sides of said wall.

8. In a hang rod assembly, a support bracket, a hang rod having reversely bent resilient portions extending longitudinally thereof and providing a slot therebetween, an adapter comprising a body portion and a support member extending transversely of said body portion, said support member comp-rising a wall having a bead on its upper edge received in said slot, said bead being mechanically interengageable with the reversely bent resilient portions of said hang rod to prevent accidental separation of said hang rod and said support member by relative movement between said hang rod and said support member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said bead and parallel to the plane of said wall, and means for securing said body portion to said support bracket.

9. A hang rod assembly comprising a support bracket, an adapter secured to the outer end portion of said support bracket, said adapter comprising a body portion and a transversely extending hang rod support member at the outer end thereof, said hang rod support member having two longitudinally extending concave surfaces and an upstanding wall separating said concave surfaces, and a hang rod unit, said hang rod unit having intermediate portions fitting said concavely curved surfaces and a pair of Wall members resiliently engaging opposite surfaces of said upstanding wall to hold the hang rod unit against accidental separation from said support member.

'10. A hang rod assembly comprising a plurality of support brackets, an adapter positioned on the outer end portion of each of said support brackets, means holding each of said adapters from accidental displacement from its support bracket, a transversely extending hang rod support member integral with each of said adapters, said support member having two concave surfaces of a length equal to the length of said support member, said concave surfaces being separated by an upstanding wall, a plurality of hang rod units, each of said hang rod units having intermediate portions fitting said concavely curved surfaces and a pair of wall members resiliently engaging opposite surfaces of said upstanding wall, and a splice bar engaging adjoining ends of adjacent hang rod units to hold the hang rod units in axial alignment.

11. In a hang rod assembly, a hang rod unit comprising a substantially cylindrical portion, two intermediate portions, two resilient walls and a longitudinal edge portion extending angularly from each of said resilient walls, and an adapter having a hang rod support integral therewith, said hang rod support having a concave surface engageable with each of said intermediate portions of said hang rod unit, an upstanding wall engageable with the resilient walls of said hang rod unit, and a bead extending along the upper edge of said upstanding wall for engagement with said longitudinal edge portions of said hang rod unit to prevent accidental vertical displacement of said hang rod unit from said hang rod support.

12. In a hang rod assembly, a pair of hang rod units in end to end relationship, each of said hang rod units comprising a substantially cylindrical portion, two resilient walls and a longitudinally edge portion extending angularly from each of said resilient walls, and a splice bar having two concave surfaces separated by an upstanding wall and a shoulder adjacent each side of the upper edge portion of said upstanding wall, each of said concave surfaces being engageable with aligned intermediate portions of both of said hang rod units, and each of said shoulders being engageable with the longitudinal edge portion extending angularly from one of said resilient walls to prevent vertical separation of said hang rod units from said splice bar.

13. An adapter for supporting a hang rod transversely of a supporting bracket, said adapter comprising a body portion and a transversely extending support member integral therewith, said support member comprising a wall extending outwardly relative to said body portion, and an enlargement on the outer edge portion of said wall, said enlargement extending transversely of said wall along substantially its entire length and forming a shoulder engageable with a hang rod adapted to be mounted on said support member to prevent accidental separation of a hang rod from said support member by relative movement between a hang rod and said support member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said enlargement and parallel to the plane of said wall.

14. An adapter for supporting a hang rod transversely of a support bracket, said adapter comprising a body portion and a transversely extending hang rod support member integral with said body portion, said support member comprising a centrally disposed longitudinal wall and a pair of support surfaces separate-d by said wall, and an enlargement on the upper edge portion of said wall, said enlargement being engageable with a hang rod adapted to be mounted on said support member to prevent its accidental separation from said support member by relative movement between a hang rod and said support member in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said enlargement and parallel to the plane of said wall.

15. An adapter for supporting a hang rod, said adapter including a body portion and a support member extending transversely of said body portion, said support member having a pair of concave surfaces extending the length of said support member, and a centrally disposed upstanding wall separating said concave surfaces, the upper edge of said upstanding wall terminating in a bead having a diameter larger than the thickness of said Wall, said concave surfaces, said wall and said bead being shaped to support a hang rod.

16. An adapter for supporting a hang rod, said adapter including a body portion and a support member extending transversely of said body portion, said support member having a pair of concave surfaces extending the length of said support member, and an upstanding wall separating said concave surfaces, the upper edge of said upstanding wall terminating in a bead having a diameter larger than the thickness of said wall and having a flat angularly disposed surface extending from each side of said bead to one vertical surface of said upstanding wall, said fia-t surfaces being adapted to fit against the longitudinal edge portions of a tubular hang rod having intermediate portions seated on said concave surfaces.

17. An adapter for supporting a hang rod transversely of a support bracket, means for securing said adapter to a support bracket, said adapter including a body portion and a transversely extending support member integral with said body portion, said support member having a pair of concavely curved surfaces separated by an upstanding wall, said concavely curved surfaces and said upstanding wall being shaped to support a hang rod mounted on said adapter.

18. An adapter for supporting a hang rod transversely of a support bracket, said adapter comprising a bifurcated body portion adapted to straddle a support bracket, means for securing said adapter to a support bracket, a transversely extending hang rod support member integral with said body portion, said support member having a pair of concavely curved surfaces separated by an upstanding wall, said concavely curved surfaces and said upstanding wall being shaped to hold a hang rod mounted on said support member against accidental vertical separation relative to said support member.

19. An adapter for supporting a hang rod transversely of a support bracket, said adapter comprising a bifurcated body portion adapted to straddle a support bracket, means for securing said adapter to a support bracket, a transversely extending hang rod support member integral with said body portion, said support member having a pair of concavely curved surfaces separated by an upstanding wall, said upstanding wall terminating at its upper edge in a bead having a flat angularly disposed surface extending from each side of said bead to said upstanding wall, said flat surfaces and said concavely curved surfaces being shaped to support a tubular hang rod against accidental vertical separation from said support member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,512,203 6/ 1950 Fluharty 211--123 2,783,961 3/1957 Weber 248243 2,807,834 10/1957 'Blum 2010 2,833,522 5/1958 Michaels 256-'65 2,945,679 7/1960 Blum 256-65 3,000,656 9/ 196 1 Hollaender 297-2 FOREIGN PATENTS 79,126 4/ 1955 Denmark. 538,794 6/ 1956 Italy.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

8. IN A HANG ROD ASSEMBLEY, A SUPPORT BRACKET, A HANG ROD HAVING REVERSELY BENT RESILIENT PORTIONS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALY THEREOF AND PROVIDING A SLOT THEREBETWEEN, AN ADAPTED COMPRISING A BODY PORTION AND A SUPPORT MEMBER EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID BODY PORTION, SAID SUPPORT MEMBER COMPRISING A WALL HAVING A HEAD ON ITS UPPER EDGE RECEIVED IN SAID SLOT, SAID BEAD BEING MECHANICALLY INTERENGAGEABLE WITH THE REVERSELY BENT RESILIENT PORTIONS OF SAID HANG ROD TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL SEPARATION OF SAID HANG ROD AND SAID SUPPORT MEMBER BY RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID HANG ROD AND SAID SUPPORT MEMBER IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID BEAD AND PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF SAID WALL, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID BODY PORTION SAID SUPPORT BRACKET. 